System for securing implements to the bucket of an earth-moving vehicle

ABSTRACT

An attachment system is provided for detachably securing a variety of interchangeable implements to an edge of a bucket of an earth-moving vehicle. The system includes at least one clamp having two generally parallel arms that extend generally perpendicularly from opposite ends of a base member, and that cooperate with one another to define an opening for receiving the bottom front edge of a tractor bucket. An internally threaded bore extending transversely through one of the arms acts as a sleeve carrying an operating member such as a screw or a bolt for maintaining the bucket edge within the opening between the first and second arms. A bore extending through the base member receives a fastener for removably coupling the implement to the clamp.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to earthmoving equipment, and more particularly to a system for detachably securing implements to an edge of a bucket of an earth-moving vehicle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Tractors and other material-handling vehicles were originally used primarily in construction, farming, and industry, but in recent years, they have become available in more compact configurations,

making them affordable and useful for homeowners working on do-it-yourself landscaping projects and the like. Among the most popular configurations of these compact and sub-compact material-handling vehicles are those which include a front-loader assembly consisting of a tiltable bucket that is supported by bucket arms pivotably carried by the vehicle and driven by hydraulic cylinders.

Various attempts have been made to increase the versatility of such vehicles by attaching implements to the front bucket. For instance, clamp-on pallet forks and trailer hitch receivers are commercially available, as are bolt-on squeegee blades. However, these devices suffer from a number of shortcomings. For instance, the clamp-on trailer hitch receivers currently on the market are not capable of supporting very heavy loads, and have been known to twist or slip laterally along the bucket under side loads. Furthermore, all or most of the available devices require that either the implements or the buckets themselves be significantly modified in some way. Accordingly, there exists a need for devices that can removably attach a variety of interchangeable implements to the buckets of earth-moving vehicles, without requiring significant modification of either the implements or the buckets, and with minimal risk of failure or displacement under high loads or side loads.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Briefly, to achieve the desired objects of the present invention in accordance with several exemplary embodiments thereof, an attachment system is provided for detachably securing a variety of interchangeable implements to an edge of a bucket of an earth-moving vehicle. The system comprises at least one clamp having two generally parallel arms that extend generally perpendicularly from opposite ends of a base member, and that cooperate with one another to define an opening for receiving the bottom front edge of a tractor bucket. An internally threaded bore extending transversely through one of the arms acts as a sleeve carrying an operating member such as a screw or a bolt for maintaining the bucket edge within the opening between the first and second arms. A bore extending through the base member receives a fastener for removably coupling the implement to the clamp.

In the illustrated examples, the attachment system includes at least three clamps structured as described above, with one clamp secured to each of the opposite ends of the bucket edge, and one clamp located in the middle of the edge. Each of the two end clamps may rest against a side wall of the bucket to minimize sliding. In addition to the three clamps, the system may include a pair of elongated plates, each having a set of three holes alignable with the bore extending through the base member of each clamp. An attachment portion of an implement such as a trailer hitch receiver, rake, or squeegee may be sandwiched between the two plates and secured in place by a fastener such as a screw, bolt, or pin that extends through the plates, the implement attachment portion, and the base member of each clamp.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and more specific objects and advantages of the instant invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments thereof taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the attachment system of the present invention being used to attach a squeegee to the front bottom edge of a loader bucket;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken through line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a exploded perspective view similar to FIG. 3, showing the attachment system of the present invention being used to attach a rake to the front bottom edge of a loader bucket;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view similar to FIGS. 3 and 4, showing the attachment system of the present invention being used to attach a trailer hitch receiver to the front bottom edge of a loader bucket; and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 2, with a trailer hitch receiver in place of the squeegee.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Turning now to the drawings, in which like numerals indicate corresponding elements throughout the several views, attention is first directed to FIGS. 1-3 which show an attachment system of the present invention, indicated in its entirety by the numeral 10, being used to secure an elongated flexible blade or squeegee 12 to the bottom front edge 14 of a loader bucket 16. The loader bucket 16, which may be carried at the front end of a material handling vehicle such as a tractor (not shown), is configured as a trough having a bottom wall 18 that terminates in bottom front edge 14, a top wall 20 that terminates in a top front edge 22, and a pair of side walls 24, 26. The bottom front edge 14 may also include a thickened, welded, or bolted-on cutting edge 28 that allows the bucket to plow through snow, dirt, and other materials.

In the illustrated embodiment, the attachment system 10 comprises a set of three identical, or substantially similar, clamps 30 a, 30 b, and 30 c, although more or fewer clamps may be used, depending on the application. The clamps may be spaced apart at regular intervals along the entire length of the bucket edge 14, so that any forces exerted by the squeegee 12 or other implement will be distributed along the whole edge rather than at a single point. The two outermost clamps 30 b and 30 c are preferably positioned such that they abut the side walls 24, 26 of the bucket. Thus, the side walls 24, 26 provide extra support for the clamps 30 a,b,c and prevent them from sliding laterally off the bucket edge 14.

Each clamp 30 includes two generally parallel arms 32, 34 that extend substantially perpendicularly from opposite ends of a substantially vertically oriented base member 36, and that cooperate with one another to define an opening 38 configured to receive an edge, for example the bottom edge 14, of the tractor bucket 16. A first bore 40, for instance an internally threaded bore, extends through the first arm 32 in a direction substantially parallel to the base member, forming a sleeve for carrying an operating member 42 such as, for instance, a bolt or an externally threaded screw having a end surface 44 that serves as a movable jaw. The operating member 42 may also have a transversely extending handle 46 allowing a user to rotate the member 42, causing the movable jaw 44 to move toward or away from a surface 48 of the second arm 34 that acts as a fixed jaw.

The second arm 34 may include a thickened portion or protrusion 50 that projects into the opening 38 and forms a stop wall that abuts against the cutting edge 28 of the bucket 16 and prevents the clamp 30 from being pulled off the bucket 16 when the cutting edge 28 is clasped between the fixed and movable jaws 44,48 of the clamp 30.

A second bore 52, for instance an internally threaded bore, extends through through the base member 36 in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of the first bore 40. The second bore 52 is configured to receive a fastener 54 such as a bolt, screw, or pin passing through an aligned hole 56 in an attachment portion 58, for example an upper edge, of an implement such as the squeegee 12. In a very basic embodiment of the invention, the implement 12 may be secured directly to the clamp with no intervening elements, but in the illustrated embodiment, the attachment portion 58 implement 12 is sandwiched between an inner elongated plate 60 and an outer elongated plate 62. Each of the plates 60 and 62 is substantially equal in length to the lower front edge 14 of the bucket 16 and includes three holes 64 a,b,c, 66 a,b,c, each of which is alignable with a corresponding bore 52 in each clamp 30 a,b,c as well as a corresponding hole 56 in the attachment portion 56 of the implement 12. In some applications, one or both plates 60, 62 may be eliminated.

FIG. 4 illustrates the attachment system 10 of the present invention being used to secure a rake 112 to the bottom front edge 14 of the bucket 16. The structure of the clamps 30 a,b,c and plates 60, 62 is the same as in FIGS. 1-3, while the rake 112 takes the form of a plurality of outwardly curved teeth 114 depending from a horizontally extending attachment flange 158. The attachment flange 158 is preferably equal in length to the bottom front edge 14 of the bucket 16 and the plates 60,62, and is provided with holes 156 a,b,c alignable with the holes 64 a,b,c, 66 a,b,c in the plates 60, 62 and the bore 52 in the base member 36 of each clamp 30 a,b,c.

FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate the attachment system 10 of the present invention being used to secure a trailer hitch receiver 212 to the bottom front edge 14 of the bucket 16. Once again, the structure of the clamps 30 a,b,c and plates 60, 62 is the same as in FIGS. 1-3. The trailer hitch receiver 212 comprises a hitch-receiving tube 214 having an attachment flange 258 extending downwardly from its lower surface 260. A hole 256 in the attachment flange 258 is configured to align with the center holes 64 a,66 a in the plates 60,62 and the bore 52 in the base member of the center clamp 30 a and to receive the fastener 54 so that it may be securely mounted on the front bottom edge 14 of the bucket 16.

While the principles of the invention have now been made clear in the illustrated embodiment, there may be immediately obvious to those skilled in the art many modifications of structure, arrangements, proportions, elements, materials and components used in the practice of the invention and otherwise, which are particularly adapted for specific environments and operation requirements without departing from those principles. For instance, the attachment system need not be limited to use with the illustrated squeegee, rake, or trailer hitch, and may be used to fasten pallet forks, downwardly extending rods, or a variety of other implements. The appended claims are therefore intended to cover and embrace any such modifications within the limits only of the true spirit and scope of the invention. 

1. (canceled) 2: The attachment system according to claim 22, wherein the at least one clamp comprises a plurality of substantially similar clamps configured to be secured along spaced intervals along the edge of the bucket. 3: The attachment system according to claim 22, further comprising a projection formed at a distal end of one of said arms, the projection forming a stop surface for engaging a lip at the edge of the bucket and inhibiting detachment of the clamp. 4: The attachment system according to claim 22, further comprising: at least one plate having a hole alignable with the second bore and with a hole in the implement; and a fastener extendable through the hole in the plate and the second bore to secure the implement in a sandwiched position between the base member and the plate. 5: The attachment system according to claim 22, further comprising: an inner plate having at least one hole alignable with the second bore and with a hole in the implement; an outer plate having at least one hole alignable with the hole in the inner plate; and a fastener extendable through the alignable holes in the inner and outer plates, the hole in the implement, and the second bore, and configured to secure an implement in a sandwiched position between the inner and outer plates.
 6. (canceled) 7: The loader bucket apparatus according to claim 23, wherein: the edge of the bucket comprises a cutting edge defining a lip; and the attachment system further comprises a projection formed at a distal end of one of said arms, the projection forming a stop surface for engaging the lip and inhibiting detachment of the clamp. 8: The loader bucket apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the at least one implement comprises a trailer hitch receiver. 9: The loader bucket apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the trailer hitch receiver includes: a bottom surface; and an attachment flange extending downwardly from the bottom surface, the attachment flange having a hole alignable with the second bore. 10: The loader bucket apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the at least one implement comprises a substantially planar squeegee blade, the squeegee blade having an upper edge, and at least one attachment hole formed adjacent the upper edge, wherein the at least one attachment hole is configured to be aligned with the second bore of the at least one clamp and to receive the fastener. 11: The loader bucket apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the at least one implement includes a plurality of downwardly extending teeth. 12: The loader bucket apparatus according to claim 23, wherein: the attachment system further comprises at least one elongated plate approximately equal in length to the bottom front edge of the bucket, the plate having a hole formed in each end and a hole formed approximately midway between the ends; and the at least one clamp comprises a set of three substantially similar clamps, each of the clamps having a second bore alignable with at least one of the holes in the elongated plate. 13: The loader bucket apparatus according to claim 23, further comprising: an inner plate having at least one hole alignable with the second bore and with a hole in the implement; an outer plate having at least one hole alignable with the hole in the inner plate; and fastening means extendable through the second bore and the alignable holes in implement and the inner and outer plates and configured to secure the implement in a sandwiched position between the inner and outer plates.
 14. (canceled)
 15. The assembly according to claim 24, wherein the at least one implement comprises a trailer hitch receiver having a bottom surface, and wherein the attachment portion comprises a flange extending downwardly from the bottom surface the flange including the hole for receiving a fastener.
 16. The assembly according to claim 24, wherein the at least one implement comprises a substantially planar squeegee blade having an upper edge, and wherein the upper edge comprises the attachment portion.
 17. The assembly according to claim 25, wherein the at least one implement includes a plurality of elongated teeth extending downwardly from the elongated attachment portion. 18: The assembly according to claim 24, wherein the attachment system further comprises: at least one plate having at least one hole alignable with the second bore and with a hole in the attachment portion of the implement; and a fastener extendable through the second bore, the hole in the attachment portion of the implement, and the hole in the at least one plate to secure the implement in a sandwiched position between the base member and the plate. 19: The assembly according to claim 24, wherein the at least one clamp comprises a plurality of substantially similar clamps configured to be secured along spaced intervals along the edge of the bucket. 20: The assembly according to claim 24, wherein the attachment system further comprises: an inner plate having at least one hole alignable with the second bore and with a hole in the attachment portion of the implement; an outer plate having a at least one hole alignable with the hole in the inner plate; and fastening means extendable through the second bore, the holes in the inner and outer plates, and the hole in the attachment portion of the implement, and configured to secure the implement in a sandwiched position between the inner and outer plates.
 21. (canceled) 22: An attachment system for detachably securing a variety of interchangeable implements to an edge of a bucket of an earth-moving vehicle, the system comprising: at least one clamp including a base member having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a substantially vertically extending distal surface, a first arm substantially coplanar with and extending in a substantially proximal direction from the top surface of the base member, the first arm including a first bore extending in a substantially vertical direction substantially parallel to the distal surface of the base, a second arm substantially coplanar with and extending in a substantially proximal direction from the bottom surface of the base member and cooperating with the first arm to define an opening configured to receive the edge of the bucket; an operating member configured to extend through the first bore to secure the edge of the bucket in the opening between the first and second arms; and a second bore extending through the distal surface of the base member in a generally proximal direction generally perpendicular to the first bore, wherein the second bore is configured to receive a fastener for removably coupling one of the implements to the clamp. 23: A loader bucket apparatus comprising: a bucket in the form of a trough having a bottom wall terminating in a bottom front edge having a length, a top wall terminating in a top front edge, and a pair of side walls; at least once implement for increasing the functionality of the bucket; and an attachment system including at least one clamp for detachably securing the implement to one of the edges of the bucket, the at least one clamp including a base member having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a substantially vertically extending distal surface, a first arm extending in a substantially proximal direction from the top surface o the base member, the first arm including a first bore extending in a substantially vertical direction substantially parallel to the distal surface of the base, a second arm extending generally parallel to the first arm and cooperating with the first arm to define an opening configured to receive the edge of the bucket; an operating member configured to extend through the first bore to secure the bottom front edge of the bucket in the opening between the first and second arms; and a second bore extending through the distal surface of the base member in a generally proximal direction generally perpendicular to the first bore, wherein the second bore is configured to receive a fastener for removably coupling one of the implements to the clamp. 24: An assembly for increasing the functionality of a bucket of an earth-moving vehicle, the assembly comprising: at least one implement for performing functions other than earth-moving operations, the implement including an attachment portion having at least one hole for receiving a fastener; an attachment system for detachably securing the at least one implement to a front edge of the bucket, the attachment system including at least one clamp including a base member having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a substantially vertically extending distal surface, a first arm extending in a substantially proximal direction from the top surface of the base member, the first arm including a first bore extending in a substantially vertical direction substantially parallel to the distal surface of the base, a second arm extending generally parallel to the first arm and cooperating with the first arm to define an opening configured to receive the front edge of the bucket; an operating member configured to extend through the first bore to secure the front edge of the bucket in the opening between the first and second arms; and a second bore extending through the distal surface of the base member in a generally proximal direction generally perpendicular to the first bore, wherein the second bore is configured to receive a fastener for removably coupling one of the implements to the clamp. 25: The assembly according to claim 23 wherein: the bottom front edge of the bucket has a predetermined length; the attachment portion of the implement has a length substantially equal to the length of the bottom front edge of the bucket, the attachment portion having having two opposed ends and a length substantially equal to the length of the bottom front edge of the bucket and having a hole formed at each end and a hole formed approximately midway between the ends; the at least one clamp comprises a set of three substantially similar clamps, each of the clamps having a second bore alignable with one of the holes in the attachment portion of the implement; and the attachment system further comprises at least one elongated plate, the plate having two opposed ends and a length substantially equal to the length of the bottom front edge of the bucket and a set of three holes configured to be aligned with the holes in the attachment portion of the implement; and a set of three fasteners, wherein each of said fasteners is configured to extend through aligned holes in the elongated plate, the attachment portion of the implement, and the second bore of one of the clamps to secure the implement in a sandwiched position between the elongated plate and the clamps. 